On most Monday mornings at Black Bear Diner in Madera, three quirky men who live and breathe ham radios sit in a corner for hours chatting, immersed in their own unique world.
These men call themselves the “Flying Hams” and to join their group, one has to be an amateur radio operator, a pilot, a writer — or even better, all three. With them are other amateur operators as well.
Amateur radios, otherwise known as “ham” radios, use designated radio frequency data for non-commercial communication settings. Their users, called “Hams,” require licenses to operate the radios that allow them to communicate with others privately on a global spectrum.
The unofficial members of the Madera group are Peter Oliver, Dale E. Winther, Linda Winther, Richard Campbell, Glenda Campbell and Mary Joe Osborne. Oliver, Winther and Campbell are Hams, pilots and writers and recently told The Madera Tribune about their unique group...